Shipped With Love

As a spouse of a service member, Kimberly Burden, understands the hardships that occur when a spouse deploys. This is the second time that National Guard Sgt. Corey Burden has deployed and each deployment has brought on different struggles. The Burden’s now have a six-year-old son, Shawn, who can’t quite understand why his dad can’t leave work to come home for his t-ball game, which has been hard for Burden. Although the struggles for Burden and her son are hard, she understands that her husband and the soldiers in his unit face similar hardships while away from their families. Burden said that her goal during this deployment is to not only do something for her husband but for his entire unit, which consists of 130 soldiers. Kimberly Burden, along with her sister in law, Tia Burden, has decided to put together care packages and mail them to each soldier. Burden said she remembers talking to her husband about his first deployment and how much a care package meant to him. He also told her that some soldiers don’t receive care packages and Burden decided to fix that.
“I think it’s important for them to know that people are thinking of them,” Burden said. Burden has made a goal that during her husband’s deployment she will send care packages to each soldier in his unit possibly two to three times. Kimberly and Tia Burden sat down together and made a list of items each package will hold and ordered boxes through the Post Office that are provided free for any military care package.

Due to Customs restriction, a list of items contained in the boxes will also have to be placed in each box. This goal is not an easy task and will require time and financial assistance to ensure each solider receives a box. “We want everyone to get something just to thank them and let them know someone is thinking about them,” Burden said. The packages will include nonperishable food items and some toiletry items. Once they are packaged they must be weighed and shipped to soldiers, which may take several weeks for them to receive. Due to a large number of restrictions on the items in the packages and the packages themselves, Burden said if anyone would like to make a donation to the packages they can reach her by email at kimberlyann_2010@yahoo.com. Burden has already begun her first care package for her husband and the preparations for all the other packages.